| The picture below shows a larger view of all (5) Old Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal Toy Prize Railroad Lantern Charms in this lot. These prizes are not dated but they are from 1941. These are the taller lantern version. The Cracker Jack ID number for these is SP-0030. They were from the Cosmo Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois. Three of the lanterns have their, often missing, scarce celluloid capsule insert piece. The capsules are translucent red, clear, and white. One of the lanterns (left) has a silvered finish, and the others are with no finish, as they were made. These are made of pot metal or lead, and they have a charm loop at the top to hang it as a charm bracelet charm, or a necklace pendant. Many of the early pot metal or lead prizes were manufactured by Dowst (Samuel Dowst), or the Tootsietoy Company of Chicago, Illinois, but there were other companies in the United States, and including ones from Japan and Germany prior to World War II as well. Some of these type prizes were made specifically for Cracker Jack, while others were made as small novelties, bought in volume, and used as prizes by The Cracker Jack Company. Pot metal or lead prizes were some of the earliest prizes that were used in Cracker Jack boxes from the 1910s to the late 1940s. Many of these type prizes or novelties were also sold out of old Johnson Smith & Company catalog as well as some other early novelty catalogs, also used in fortune telling sets, and some were also sold and used as board game parts. Many of these can be found factory painted, inked, or with no finish at all. All five of these for one price! The railroad lanterns each measure about 1-5/16'' x 5/8''. They appear to be in excellent condition, except two do not have a celluloid insert and one of those is missing the handle, as pictured. |
